Bennett: No Israel Without Torah or Defense

Minister Naftali Bennett promoted, Friday, a law to be submitted to the cabinet on Sunday, which incorporates the Perry Committee recommendations for increased hareidi-religious participation in national service. Writing on his Facebook page, the chairman of Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home, New National Religious Party) tied the law to the Torah portion of the week, in which Moses got angry at members of two and a half tribes of Israel for wanting to settle east of the River Jordan until they made a commitment to help settle the area west of the river.

Bennett continued, "Whoever thinks that Torah students are a burden is wrong. Studying Torah is what gives meaning to our being here. Without Torah we are thieves on the land." He concluded, "Friends, there can be no state of Israel without Torah and without defense. On Sunday, a law combining the two in a proper and balanced way will be brought before the government. But the law means nothing by itself without understanding by all the sides of the values of defense and Torah study. That will be our real test."